Structure and method for manhole wall sealing

ABSTRACT

Structures and methods for repair of leaks in the walls of manhole assemblies are provided through use of at least one repair panel comprising a structural member and a sealing member attached to one another. In some embodiments, a plurality of repair panels as provided are present in an end-to-end configuration to yield a seal the extends coextensively with the inner wall surface of a manhole assembly. In some embodiments, a plurality of repair panels as provided are present in an side-by-side configuration on the inner wall surface of a manhole assembly.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to manhole assemblies used inconjunction with underground utilities. More particularly, it relates toalready-installed manhole assemblies used in relation to effluent waterstreams present in sub-terranean conduits, and providing remedies forgroundwater leaks into or out of such structures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Manholes are commonly constructed to enable access from ground level atvarious points along a buried underground conduit, such as a sewer pipe,to allow workmen to access the contents of sewer lines and the like, forvarious purposes including analysis of waters contained therein, andgeneral inspection purposes.

As with many concrete structures, some settling over time occurs withmanhole assemblies and often faults develop in the walls of manholeassemblies which can enable ambient ground water to penetrate into theinterior portion of such manhole structures. Such infiltration isgenerally regarded as undesirable, and the present disclosure providesremedies for such faults.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Interlocking repair panels useful for sealing an interior wall of amanhole assembly sufficient to prevent groundwater seepage into themanhole, comprising a structural member having a convex face and aplurality of mounting holes disposed therethrough and a sealing memberhaving a concave face and a plurality of mounting holes disposedtherethrough. The sealing member and the structural member are attachedto one another with the concave face of the sealing member facing theconvex face of the structural member, and the sealing member and thestructural member are dimensioned sufficiently to provide the repairpanel as having at least a first mating lip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of invention may take physical form in certain parts andarrangement of parts, the preferred embodiment of which will bedescribed in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings whichform a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of a manhole assembly according to the priorart;

FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 shows an overhead view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 shows a frontal view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a repair panel according to one embodimentof the disclosure;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a pair of interlocked repair panelsaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a pair of interlocked repair panelsdisposed on the interior wall of a manhole assembly according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is an overhead view of a plurality of interlocked repair panelsdisposed coextensively about the interior wall of a manhole assemblyaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 shows a front view of a repair panel according to one embodimentof the disclosure;

FIG. 11 shows a front perspective view of a repair panel according toone embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 12 shows a rear view of a repair panel according to one embodimentof the disclosure;

FIG. 13 shows a rear perspective view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a repair panel according to oneembodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 15 show a plurality of interlocked repair panels provided accordingto one embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION INCLUDING PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purposeof illustrating the invention only and not for the purpose of limitingthe same, FIG. 1 illustrates cutaway view of a manhole assembly 30according to the prior art. A typical prior art manhole assembly 30includes a portion disposed above or at the surface of the ground 5 andincludes a manhole cover 3, as is well-known. A manhole assembly 30often includes a first manhole segment 7 a and a second manhole segment7 b, and sometimes a third or more manhole segments such as 7 c, witheach of the segments being stacked atop one another and forminginterfaces 9 at the joints of the segments. Typically, at or near thebottom of the manhole, there is a liquid inlet 15 a and a liquid outlet15 b that are frequently sewer pipes that can contain industrial and/orhousehold waste effluents.

During construction it is sometimes the case that known joint sealantmaterials, such as concrete, mortar, grout, construction adhesives andsealers, etc., are applied at or around the interfaces 9 to preventgroundwater 11 from seeping into the manhole. However, due to faultyinstallation or with the passage of time it has been seen to be the casethat many of these joint sealant materials physically degrade, providinga compromised joint of the manhole segments at the interfaces 9. Oncecompromised, ground water 11 may then penetrate the interface, providingseepage 13 into the manhole. This is undesirable since many municipal,state, and other codes forbid manhole assemblies which permit seepagefrom their exteriors into their interior as it contributes to the burdenof water treatment plants.

In accordance with the presently described embodiments there is shown inFIG. 2 a front perspective view of a repair panel 10 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure. Repair panel 10 in one embodiment is abi-layer structure comprising a sealing member 17 and a structuralmember 19.

The structural member 19 of a repair panel 10 as provided hereinfunctions to provide structural support for a repair panel 10 accordingto the disclosure, and is preferably comprised of a rigid material.Suitable materials from which a structural member 19 according to thedisclosure may be fabricated include, without limitation, metals andmetallic alloys, polymeric materials including thermoset resins,thermoplastic resins, thermoplastic vulcanizates, reinforced polymericmaterials, fiberglass, composites, etc., with polyethylene,polypropylene, alpha olefin copolymers, PVC resins, CPVC resins, ABSresins, being exemplary suitable materials. In one embodiment thestructural member 19 of a repair panel 10 according to the disclosure befabricated from PVC resin. In some embodiments, depending on temperaturevariation and other factors present in a manhole, the structural memberis comprised of a material that has a tensile modulus between about 100to 200 Kpsi. In other embodiments the structural member is comprised ofa material that has a tensile modulus less than about 100 Kpsi. In otherembodiments the structural member is comprised of a material that has atensile modulus more than about 200 Kpsi. A structural member 19 asprovided according to some embodiments herein has a curved (concave)interior face, a curved (convex) exterior face, a first end portion, asecond end portion, a top edge portion, and a bottom edge portion.

The sealing member 17 of a repair panel 10 as provided herein functionsto provide a sealing surface present on a surface of the structuralmember 19 to which sealing member 17 is attached, sufficient such thatwhen repair panel 10 is affixed to the inner wall W of a manholeassembly over an interface 9 with the sealing member 17 in contact withthe inner wall W, the repair panel 10 effectively seals the interface 9to prevent ground water on the exterior of the manhole assembly fromseeping through the interface 9 at the point at which the repair panel10 is attached, to the interior of the manhole assembly. A sealingmember 17 as provided according to some embodiments herein has a curved(concave) interior face, a curved (convex) exterior face, a first endportion, a second end portion, a top edge portion, and a bottom edgeportion.

The sealing member 17 may be comprised of any material recognized in theart as being useful as a gasketing or sealing material, capable ofpreventing water penetration, when contacted to inner wall W of manholeassembly 30, which inner wall W is typically concrete. Suitablematerials from which sealing member 17 may be comprised include withoutlimitation organic polymeric materials such as foam rubber, polyurethanefoam materials, polyurea foam materials, foamed polyolefins, and foamsmade using styrene as a monomer.

In one embodiment, the shapes of the structural member 19 and that ofthe sealing member 17 are substantially the same, as shown in some ofthe figures, both being somewhat reminiscent of a non-planar rectangle,sufficiently arced or curved to substantially match the contour of theinner wall W of a manhole assembly. The sealing member 17 can thereforebe affixed to the structural member 19 so that more than about 90% ofthe surface area of a face of the sealing member 17 is in contact with aface of the structural member.

In preferred embodiments, the sealing member 17 is attached to thestructural member 19 by an adhesive present between the two and ineffective adhering contact with each. For this, conventional adhesivesknown in the art suitable for adhering a sealing member material to astructural member material to one another are suitable, includingwithout limitation epoxy adhesives, resin emulsion adhesives, andcyanoacrylate adhesives. In other embodiments, the sealing member 17 isattached to the structural member 19 solely by conventional fasteners.In a preferred embodiment, the curved interior face of the sealingmember 17 is attached to the curved exterior face of structural member19, as shown.

FIG. 2 also shows that a repair panel 10 according to some embodimentsincludes a first mating lip A and a second mating lip B disposed alongthe width dimension of the repair panel 10. The purpose of first matinglip A and second mating lip B is to enable interlocking sealing contactof two or more adjacently-disposed repair panels 10 as provided hereinwith one another, the first mating lip A of a first repair panel 10being configured to sealingly receive a second mating lip B of a secondrepair panel 10 disposed adjacent to the first repair panel 10. By suchprovision and appropriate selection of the length dimension L (FIG. 6)of a repair panel 10, this disclosure provides for the complete sealingof interfaces 9 in manhole assemblies, even years after their initialinstallation by provision of a ring of repair panels 10 attached to theinterior wall W of a manhole assembly.

In some embodiments a repair panel 10 as provided herein comprises aplurality of mounting holes 21 commonly disposed through both thesealing member 17 and structural member 19. Such provision enables arepair panel 10 as provided to be affixed to the interior wall W of amanhole assembly using conventional fasteners, including screws designedfor use in concrete and other materials from which a manhole assemblymay be comprised. This includes the use of TAPCON® fasteners, RAMSET®fasteners, anchor bolts, and any other known fasteners.

For installation of a repair panel 10 to an interior wall W of a manholeassembly, the repair panel 10 is placed over the interface that isdesired to be sealed and points are marked on the inner wall W whichcoincide with the mounting holes 21 of the repair panel 10. These pointsare in one embodiment suitably drilled, the repair panel 10appropriately placed on the wall W, and fasteners used to affix therepair panel 10 to inner wall W with the sealing member 17 in contactwith inner wall W. This procedure can be repeated over any length of aninterface 9 as is desired by the user, which may include installation ofa complete ring of repair panels 10 on the interior wall W, leaving noportion of an interface so treated remaining exposed, thus providing acomplete seal for the interface 9 present on a manhole assembly.

FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of a repair panel 10 according toone embodiment of the disclosure, showing the respective locations ofsealing member 17, structural member 19, and mounting holes 21.

FIG. 4 shows an overhead view of a repair panel 10 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure and the respective locations of sealingmember 17, structural member 19, first mating lip A and second matinglip B;

FIG. 5 shows a frontal view of a repair panel 10 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure including the respective locations ofstructural member 19, mounting holes 21, and first mating lip A;

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a repair panel 10 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure including the respective locations ofsealing member 17, mounting holes 21, and second mating lip B;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a pair of interlocked repair panels10 according to one embodiment of the disclosure. In this FIG. 7 thefirst mating lip A of a first repair panel is shown to be sealinglyengaged with a second mating lip B of a second repair panel sufficientlythat at least one of the mounting holes (marked with an asterisk *) ofthe first repair panel is aligned with one of the mounting holes of thesecond repair panel to enable a single fastener to pass through thesealing member 17 and structural member of a first repair panel and onlythe sealing member 17 of a second repair panel, and into the inner wallW of a manhole assembly. The joint at which the first provided repairpanel and second provided repair panel overlap one another is labeled J.

In FIG. 8 is illustrated a perspective view of a pair of interlockedrepair panels 10, such as those shown in FIG. 9, disposed on theinterior wall W over an interface 9 of a manhole assembly according toone embodiment of the disclosure. In this FIG. 8 are shown the fasteners23 to be disposed through mounting holes 21 on the repair panels 10.

FIG. 9 is an overhead view of a plurality of interlocked repair panels10 disposed coextensively about the interior wall W of a manholeassembly over an interface according to one embodiment of thedisclosure. In this exemplary, non-limiting pictorial description, thereare six repair panels having length dimensions sufficient to enable allof the repair panels to sealingly interlock with one another at theirfirst mating lips A and second mating lips B, as previously described.The locations of the sealing members 17 and structural members 19 areshown in this embodiment which provides a complete seal about aninterface over which the repair panels are so mounted.

FIG. 10 shows a front view of a repair panel 20 according to anotherexemplary embodiment of the disclosure, wherein the structural member 19and sealing member 17 are again attached to one another on their faceportions, such as by an adhesive, but this time disposed so that twoedges of the perimeter are provided with interlocking capabilitiesrespecting repair panels placed adjacent to one another in aninstallation on the interior wall W of a manhole assembly. As shown inFIG. 11, such a construct is again curved to substantially coincide withthe contour of an inner wall W to which the repair panels are to beaffixed, using conventional fasteners through mounting holes (not shown)in the repair panels. FIG. 12 shows a rear view of a repair panelaccording to this embodiment of the disclosure, and FIGS. 13 and 14 showa rear perspective view and another perspective view, respectively ofsuch a repair panel.

FIG. 15 show a plurality of interlocked repair panels provided accordingto the embodiment of the disclosure shown and described in relation toFIGS. 10-14, disposed on an interior wall W of a manhole assembly overan interface 9. As in earlier embodiments, such repair panels 20 areaffixed to interior wall W using conventional fasteners 23 disposedthrough mounting holes 21 in the repair panels 20, that pass into thematerial from which the manhole assembly is constructed, typicallyconcrete. In preferred embodiments the mounting holes on the repairpanels are placed so that a single fastener 23 may pass through thestructural member 19 and sealing member 17 of a first repair panel 20and simultaneously through the sealing member 17 of a second repairpanel 20 adjacently disposed to the first repair panel 20.

Mounting holes 21 as described herein are shown disposed in locationsdepicted in the accompanying drawings; however, the present disclosureprovides that these mounting holes may be provided at any desiredlocation on repair panels herein provided. It is preferred that at leastsome holes be present substantially along the perimeter of a repairpanel as provided and at the location of joints of repair panels, alongthe joints length dimension, and preferably centered on such joints. Asregards the length and width dimensions of repair panels providedherein, these parameters may be selected by the end user to accommodatethe geometry of a given manhole assembly they are to be applied to, suchsizing being readily within the skill of one of ordinary skill in theart.

Generally speaking, the thickness of a structural member 19 is anythickness in the range of between about five millimeters and about fiftymillimeters, including all ranges of thicknesses and millimeterthicknesses therebetween. In one embodiment, the thickness of thestructural member 19 is about 20 millimeters. The thickness of thestructural member 19 may be readily altered to suit a given end useapplication by material selection, as appreciated by those of ordinarilyskill in this art.

Generally speaking, the thickness of a sealing member 17 is anythickness in the range of between about one millimeter and about fifteenmillimeters, including all ranges of thicknesses and millimeterthicknesses therebetween. In one embodiment, the thickness of thesealing member 17 is about 4 millimeters. The thickness of the sealingmember 17 may be readily altered to suit a given end use application bymaterial selection, as appreciated by those of ordinarily skill in thisart. The present disclosure includes the use of sealing members 17 whichare smooth in texture, as well as those which have any degree of surfaceroughness desired, including ribbed surfaces.

Although various embodiments of the teachings herein have been describedin relation to manhole structures comprising concrete, the presentdisclosure shall not be limited by such disclosure since the principlesof the methods and structures as herein shown and described areapplicable to other vessels in or through which a fluid substance may betransmitted or contained, including pipes, tanks, pools, reservoirs,basins, containers, railcars, tank trucks, seagoing vessels, reactorcores, etc., made from various materials of construction other thanconcrete and including without limitation metals and metallic alloys,organic materials including polymers mentioned, composite materials,ceramics, fired clays, etc. Moreover, use of a structure shown and/ordescribed herein is not limited to leaks present at joints present in amanhole structure, as the provisions of the disclosure are suitable forproviding a remedy for many types of compromises in the walls of manholeand other vessels, conduits, etc. mentioned above substantiallyregardless of their location. Although some embodiments are describedherein as being provided with a plurality of mounting holes 21, it iswithin this disclosure to omit the presence of such holes 21 until thetime of installation of a structure provided herein.

Consideration must be given to the fact that although this invention hasbeen described and disclosed in relation to certain preferredembodiments, equivalent modifications and alterations thereof may becomeapparent to persons of ordinary skill in this art after reading andunderstanding the teachings of this specification, drawings, and theclaims appended hereto. The present disclosure includes subject matterdefined by any combinations of any one or more of the features providedin this disclosure with any one or more of any other features providedin this disclosure. These combinations include the incorporation of thefeatures and/or limitations of any dependent claim, singly or incombination with features and/or limitations of any one or more of theother dependent claims, with features and/or limitations of any one ormore of the independent claims, with the remaining dependent claims intheir original text being read and applied to any independent claims somodified. These combinations also include combination of the featuresand/or limitations of one or more of the independent claims withfeatures and/or limitations of another independent claims to arrive at amodified independent claim, with the remaining dependent claims in theiroriginal text or as modified per the foregoing, being read and appliedto any independent claim so modified. The present invention has beendisclosed and claimed with the intent to cover modifications andalterations that achieve substantially the same result as herein taughtusing substantially the same or similar structures, being limited onlyby the scope of the claims which follow.

1. A repair panel construct useful for sealing an interior wall of amanhole assembly sufficient to prevent groundwater seepage into saidmanhole, comprising: a) a structural member having a convex face; and b)a sealing member having a concave face, said sealing member and saidstructural member being attached to one another with said concave faceof said sealing member facing said convex face of said structuralmember, and wherein said sealing member and said structural member aredimensioned sufficiently to provide said repair panel with at least afirst mating lip.
 2. A repair panel according to claim 1 wherein saidfirst mating lip is located along an end portion of said repair panel.3. A repair panel according to claim 1 wherein said structural membercomprises a plurality of mounting holes disposed therethrough.
 4. Arepair panel according to claim 1 wherein said sealing member comprisesa plurality of mounting holes disposed therethrough.
 5. A repair panelaccording to claim 3 wherein at least some of said mounting holespresent on said structural member are located substantially along theperimeter of said structural member.
 6. A repair panel according toclaim 4 wherein at least some of said mounting holes present on saidsealing member are located substantially along the perimeter of saidsealing member.
 7. A repair panel according to claim 3 wherein saidsealing member comprises a plurality of mounting holes disposedtherethrough.
 8. A repair panel according to claim 7 wherein at leastsome of said mounting holes present on said sealing member are locatedsubstantially along the perimeter of said sealing member and coincidewith the locations of the mounting holes present on said structuralmember.
 9. A repair panel according to claim 1 wherein said structuralmember and said sealing member are attached to one another with anadhesive.
 10. A repair panel according to claim 1 wherein conventionalfasteners are present to hold said structural member and said sealingmember attached to one another.
 11. A repair panel according to claim 1wherein said first mating lip is configured to receive and sealinglyengage a second mating lip present on a second repair panel provided inaccordance with claim 1, when said second repair panel provided isdisposed adjacent thereto, to form a joint.
 12. A repair panel accordingto claim 1 further comprising a second mating lip.
 13. A repair panelaccording to claim 12 wherein said first mating lip is located along anend portion of said repair panel, and wherein said second mating lip islocated along the length portion of said repair panel.
 14. A repairpanel according to claim 1, dimensioned sufficiently to provide aninterlocked construct when combined with additional repair panelsaccording to claim 1 in an end-to-end configuration.
 15. A repair panelaccording to claim 1, dimensioned sufficiently to provide an interlockedconstruct when combined with additional repair panels according to claim1 in an side-to-side configuration.
 16. A plurality of panels accordingto claim 14, said panels being disposed on an interior wall of a vesselcapable of containing a fluid substance, said panels being disposed in asubstantially continuous end-to-end configuration sufficient to remedy acompromise of integrity present on said wall.
 17. A plurality of panelsaccording to claim 16, said panels being disposed coextensively with adimension of said vessel selected from the group consisting of: thevessel's diameter and the vessel's perimeter.
 18. A manhole assemblycomprising a seal comprising a plurality of repair panels according toclaim 1, disposed on the inner wall of said manhole assembly.